Dunwoody police probing firefighters’ response to fatal house fire

DUNWOODY — Four DeKalb County firefighters were fired and the Dunwoody Police Department has opened a criminal investigation following a Jan. 24 fatal fire that claimed the life of a 74-year-old woman.

Firefighters and police were called to a report of a house fire at 1687 Houghton Court North at 1:05 a.m. on Jan. 24. A pair of police officers arrived to find “several Dekalb County Fire Department vehicles preparing to leave,” police said in a statement. “The Dunwoody Police officers were advised by a firefighter from Ladder 18 that they could not locate any fire and were going back in service.”

About five hours later, firefighters were again called to the house to find it fully involved.

Authorities say the four firefighters did not follow proper protocol because they did not leave their truck to confirm there was not a fire when they initially arrived on the scene, but instead drove by the house and when they did not see flames, they left.

The AJC identified the four fired officers as Capt. Tony L. Motes, Acting Officer William J. Greene and Battalion Chiefs Lesley Clark and Bennie J. Paige. Once Dunwoody police conclude their investigation, they will present their findings to the District Attorney.